Season of the Witch
by moochis
Summary: Kiku Honda knew the job didn't pay him enough to keep a nosy blonde out of his business. Especially when said nosy blonde had just found out one of his family's most important secrets.
1. Potions and Broomsticks

**this is on ao3, but I decided to move it onto this platform, also.**

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Just a few raven feathers, snail shells and blades of grass from a fifteen-year old flower field.

Piece of cake for an intermediate witch such as Kiku Honda.

Especially seeing as he'd done this recipe at least a hundred times before. This recipe was used to create a potion that would help one discover lost things, and the one lost thing that Kiku failed to find was his employee ID for the local renaissance festival being held tomorrow.

As Kiku Honda is and always had been a witch coming from two past generations of witches, there seemed to be no better vacation job than working at one of the potion tents at the renaissance festival in his hometown. Of course, the "potions" being sold at the festival were simply brightly colored perfumes and lotions, but his parents thought it would be a fun idea to dress in his witch attire and earn a few extra bucks for the break. Making money he had no quarrel with; the brief social interactions throughout the day was what irked him. Kiku had never been one to make friends easily, and thus has never had many friends or much social knowledge - or "street smarts", as one of his dear friends puts it.

Dropping the four snail shells that the recipe called for into the small cauldron, he heard the door open behind him.

"What are you working on?" His older brother, Yao, asked as he neared the cauldron to peek at what was inside. Bubbles were barely beginning to form at the surface. "Another locator potion?"

"Yes. I can't find my employee ID for tomorrow," the boy moved from the cauldron to search the drawers lined on the walls of their family's conjuring room. Endless amounts of supplies were stocked in this room, as his parents and brother all used it for their studies and training. "You haven't seen it, have you?"

His brother shook his head, but grinned. "I forgot you took that job! Are you excited? You're practically being paid to wear your witch clothes."

"I'm excited to make money. Not excited to talk to people." Kiku replied as he shut the drawer full of raven feathers. He tossed them into the cauldron before going back to search the cabinets above the drawers.

Yao rolled his eyes. "Kiku, you've got to outgrow that. Meeting new people isn't that bad. And there are interesting people to meet at that renaissance festival! Almost everyone is in costume and the little kids are into that fake magic stuff."

Kiku narrowed his eyes at the mention of "fake magic". Witches were aware of the rip-off magic that normal civilians made money from. He grabbed a jar of wilted grass blades and moved back towards the cauldron. "I don't want to sell 'fake magic', or even be associated with it. It's a disgrace to real witches." He grabbed a handful of grass and tossed it into the potion, green bubbles foaming at the surface. After stirring it a few times, the potion was complete and ready to be used.

His brother watched as Kiku spooned the liquid into a small, glass jar. "You know what they do to real witches out there. It's been done in the past and it can happen again."

The younger sighed, capping the potion with a cork. His was right, as usual. Being three years older than him and much more experienced with magic and spellcasting than he was, Yao was truly someone Kiku looked up to from a young age. Their parents praised his skill with the element of fire much more than they did with Kiku's element of earth. Granted, Kiku had just picked his element as of a year ago when he was sixteen, whereas Yao had been dabbling with fire since he was fifteen. However, what Kiku lacked in element magic, he made up for in handheld magic such as potion-making and charming. "I know. I just want the festival to be over with."

"You haven't even started."

"Don't remind me."

* * *

Parking was proving to be the real challenge of the day, and it wasn't even after nine in the morning.

After finding a semi-decent spot to park, Kiku made the journey to the entrance of the festival. He wasn't surprised to see the parking lots were nearly full so early in the morning, nor when he saw the large crowd gathered near the entrance. As Yao mentioned yesterday, nearly the whole crowd was dressed in either elaborate dresses, pirate gear, mage, fairy or witch costumes - however, their witch costumes were nothing like the actual witch attire Kiku had on that day - complete with props such as wands, wings or swords. As he walked around the crowd to reach the employee entrance, he couldn't help but admire the effort that was clearly put into the costumes, even if they were inaccurate.

The park's opening day was always the busiest, as people had been waiting to enter since the festival was announced two months ago. Kiku had been to the festival a few times as a child with his family, and while it was fun to re-enact sword fights and witness the jousting competition all those years ago, years of witches' training had hardened his view of the festival. The "witches" he had seen as a child were now nothing more than imposters making profit from smoke and mirrors.

Still, their candied apples were to die for.

After clocking in - his employee ID happened to be under his bed, hidden amongst several pairs of sneakers - Kiku decided to search for his potion tent. Other employees were also in full costume getting their wares ready for the day, and the boy couldn't help but look down briefly at his own clothes. It wasn't anything too elaborate: a short, black cloak kept him warm from the day's chills, coupled with a long sleeved black shirt and pair of black trousers. Laced up black boots completed the outfit, and he kept the glass jar of locator potion he had prepared yesterday tied to his hip. To be fair, every witch was responsible for making their own clothes, and as Kiku had little fashion knowledge, he fabricated simple outfits that would be easiest to work in. Yao and his parents took their clothes much more seriously, creating intricate designs and robes to be worn during gatherings or family reunions.

His tent was white and had wooden steps leading to the platform with several tables that would have his wares for sale. There was a another smaller tent attached to the back of the main tent that was to be used during breaks and had extra bottles and jars of lotion and perfume should he run out. His shop was placed in between a jewelry tent and a gem shop, and right across from four food vendors. He could already smell the funnel cakes and cheesecakes being prepared, and made a note to himself not to forget Yao's request of a candied apple. Overall, it was a nice setup that hopefully would attract customers.

Looking around the tent, he kept an eye out for an item he could charm. Charming inanimate objects was another perk that witches often took advantage of, as they could help you get things done faster. For example, one could charm a broomstick to do the sweeping for them or charm a hairbrush to do one's hair while they did their makeup. Kiku often charmed brooms and mops for household chores, and when he was looking for exercise he'd charm a tennis racket for a game. For now, he settled on a broomstick he had found in the back tent, setting it to sweep the floors while he set up the potions.

Finished, he took his spot behind the cash register. He soon heard the opening announcements over the speakers, and prayed that the day would go by quickly.

"Thank you, and have a safe journey."

Another con to this job: having to speak as if Kiku were in a _Lord of The Rings_ film.

All things considered, however, things were going smoothly. He had already made several sales before lunch, and had even ran out of a certain perfume named "Cupid's Brew". Along with selling the potions, he also had to come up with "side effects" of using them - such as becoming more valiant, attractive or lucky. "Cupid's Brew" supposedly had the ability to make others fall in love with the person who wears it. Kiku had given up on making up side effects after the first few sales and had instead fallen back on actual side effects to potions witches actually brew.

As he munched on a slice of chocolate-dipped cheesecake, he thought back to how many different people he had met. So far, he had met two Links from _Legend of Zelda,_ one Gandalf from _The Lord of the Rings,_ five witches, two little girls dressed as Elsa and Anna from _Frozen,_ and three fairies. It was interesting to see how many different costumes people came up with, and he decided early on to keep a tally on how many Frodos passed by his tent.

Hearing footsteps on the wooden steps to his tent, he wrapped his cheesecake up and set it aside. "Welcome to the Witch's Garden, potions for every occasion."

A tall, young blonde ducked into the tent, looking around with interest. Kiku guessed he was around his age. He, like many others, was dressed in renaissance clothing, except he was much more casual. "Hey, dude."

"Let me know if you need anything." Kiku gave a nod, staying at his spot by the cash register.

The blonde took his time looking at each bottle and jar. Kiku almost reached for his cheesecake before the boy turned towards him, "Am I allowed to open one?"

He stood and made his way towards the other, the floorboards creaking under the added weight. "Ah, yes. Which one were you looking at?"

"This one." The boy pointed towards a jar of lotion labeled "Dragon's Ashes".

Kiku uncapped it and dabbed a bit onto his fore and middle fingers before spreading it onto the boy's hand. "This one's good for bravery and strength. It was made from a dragon's fire ashes, so it has a slightly smoky smell."

"Like, from a real dragon?" He asked, blue eyes glinting.

"...Yes, like from a real dragon."

"Rad. Do you recommend anything else to go with it?"

He stopped rubbing the lotion on his hand and paused to think. Then, Kiku moved to the table adjacent to the blonde, picking up a cologne bottle labeled "Blacksmith's Fire". The boy followed him to the table. "This has a similar smoky smell to it, but a bit more strong than the lotion. It was taken from a blacksmith's shop, so it also boosts your strength." He sprayed a bit onto the boy's wrist.

"So if I get both of these, I'll get really strong? You swear?" he grinned.

"Yes, I swear. And you'll smell really good." Kiku added, nodding. "You can get a bundle of a lotion and cologne for a lower price."

"I'll take them."

He rang the blonde up, and briefly ducked into the back tent to retrieve a box and ribbon to package the items. The broom he had charmed earlier was sweeping the dust off of one of the shelves stocked with perfume. "Please be careful," he muttered, grabbing a white ribbon from one of the storage containers. "If you break anything, it comes out of my paycheck."

Kiku boxed the cologne and lotion and wrapped it with a ribbon, handing it to the blonde and bidding his thanks. He left with another grin and a "thanks, dude!".

 _He had a cowlick,_ Kiku mused as he unwrapped his cheesecake. _And a nice smile._

The next few hours went by with cheesecake and a few more sales before the sun began to set. His shift ended at nine, as not many people were around to shop in the evening as they were there to drink and eat. It was nearing eight-thirty, and Kiku decided to begin packing up shop for the day. He briefly stepped outside to see if there were any potential customers walking his way, and when the coast seemed clear, he set the broom to sweep the floors of the main tent while he counted the day's earnings. Opening day was always successful, and his business was no exception; he went over his quota for the day by a landslide. Yao was right - people loved the fake magic talk.

"Dude!" Kiku froze. He knew that voice. "Holy shit!"

He turned to find the blonde boy from earlier standing in the entryway of the tent, mouth agape and eyes wide behind his glasses. He was pointing at the broom, which was still sweeping on its own. "Y-Your broom!"

The witch snapped his fingers, causing the broom to drop onto the floor. The blonde immediately looked to Kiku, "It was sweeping on its own! Were - Were you making it do that?"

He knew this stupid job wasn't worth the paycheck.


	2. Phone Numbers and Panic Attacks

Kiku had pulled the blonde into the tent and drawn the entryway closed in record time.

"Dude! So you _were_ making the broom move! Are you magic? Are you some kind of wizard? Like from _Harry Potter?"_ Questions were practically spilling from his mouth like a waterfall, and Kiku could only think of covering his mouth with his hands to get him to stop badgering him.

He kept talking through his fingers, but at least it was muffled.

"Look," He said finally, cheeks hot and eyes wide. "I'm-I'm not magic. I'm not a witch."

"I never said you were a witch. Are you a witch?" He could feel him grin under his hands, which he drew back. "You are, aren't you?"

Kiku didn't know what to do, let alone answer. His family, and not to mention his family's friends and other important witches could be exposed and hunted down if he told this boy the truth. Then again, this guy didn't exactly seem like the witch-hunting type - his smile was too goofy and his eyes too childish. Plus, he didn't look like he was in the perfect shape to be running around hunting witches every day. But how could he have been so stupid as to have left the front of the tent open? Of course anyone could have stopped by and asked him about the moving broom, perhaps even a _real_ witch hunter! There were a million things that could have gone wrong, and Kiku had just invited all of them into his tent all at once simply because he decided to be lazy and not sweep the floors himself. Yao would have been so disappointed in him, and his parents would have burned him at the stake had they found out—

"Woah, hey, you okay?" The boy had brought him out of his mind when he placed a hand on his arm. He hadn't realized he had begun to breathe shallowly or that his hands were beginning to tremble. "I didn't mean to freak you out. I just got excited, I guess."

Kiku swallowed hard and wiped at his eyes. "It's-It's fine. Just...just don't tell anyone. Please. My family— no one knows we're here. As witches."

"Of course I won't tell anyone! Are you kidding me? I know what people did to witches back in the day. You know, Salem?" Kiku nodded, sniffling a bit. The blonde reached into his back pocket, pulling out a packet of tissues and handed one to him. "Your secret's safe with me. I'm Alfred Jones, by the way."

He took the tissue gratefully. "Kiku Honda."

"Sorry I freaked you out. I actually came back to see if there was anything else you could have recommended me." Alfred gave an uneasy laugh. "Guess I came at a bad time, though..."

"I was just closing up the shop. Though, _I_ should have been sweeping instead of having it be done for me." He shook his head, his body still cold from the earlier shock.

"That's still so fucking _cool_ , though! I'd kill to have stuff done for me at the snap of my fingers," He pushed his glasses up onto his nose, grinning a goofy grin. "I'm always stuck doing chores."

Kiku excused himself and stepped into the back tent quickly to grab his satchel before returning to the main tent to blow out the candles that he had set up. Alfred offered to walk him to the front of the park as compensation for Kiku's slight panic attack.

"It really is fine." The witch had said as they began walking through the crowds.

"No, it's not 'fine'. I'd be pretty terrified if someone found out a secret like that, too," Alfred replied, tucking his hands into his pockets for warmth. "I mean, I don't have any deep, dark secrets like that, but there's stuff I'd die over if people knew about them."

Kiku gave a ghost of a smile. "Thank you. I was just scared you were some kind of witch hunter."

"Those reallyexist?"He gave an incredulous look. "Well, I shouldn't be surprised. I didn't think witches actually existed. You don't look like a witch."

"How do witches look, then?"

"You know, they have those pointy hats, and black cats or bats or ravens, and don't they eat little kids? Like in _Hansel and Gretel?_ "Alfred answered, thinking back to all the movies and stories he had read or seen. "Or like the ones from _Hocus Pocus!_ Don't tell me you sing, too? Will I be cursed for eternity if you start singing?"

Kiku wanted to pull his hair out. "No, not all of that is necessarily true...and I don't sing." Alfred looked a little disappointed, and he felt compelled to add, "But we do have familiars like black cats or ravens. They usually choose their owner, though. And before you ask, no, I don't have one. My brother does, though."

"You have a brother? Me too!"

The rest of the way was spent talking about their families. Alfred had a shy twin brother named Matthew, and his mother died a few years ago which left them with a single father. They were both seventeen and in high school, except Kiku attended a public school whereas Alfred and his brother attended a private school on the opposite side of town. While Kiku wasn't comfortable enough to go too in-depth about his family's witch-oriented traditions, he did talk about his family's background. His family originally lived in Japan, but moved to the States after a few generations and made frequent family trips to the island during school vacations. His full last name was actually Wang-Honda, but he often stuck to just Honda.

Their conversation lasted all the way to the entrance of the park. Kiku excused himself to clock out for the day and met the blonde on the other side of the entrance. People were still filing into the park for the evening festivities - which consisted of beer, dancing, and more beer - and Alfred nearly lost him in the crowd.

"You're so small, I couldn't see you above the crowd," The boy chuckled as he caught up to Kiku. "Will you be here tomorrow?"

"Yes, for the next few weeks until the festival is over." He pulled his car keys from his bag, but a part of him wanted to stay and talk to Alfred for a bit longer. Maybe it was because he didn't meet new people very often, or that he had just found out a part of himself that very few people knew about, but either way, Kiku felt drawn to Alfred's positivity.

And of course he didn't have the courage to ask for his number or email. Most people would take that the wrong way - and it wasn't as if Kiku was _totally_ straight, but he was still figuring out himself and asking for this boy's number could probably give him the wrong idea about him. Yet, isn't it fair to freak him out since he gave Kiku a panic attack earlier? But a phone number was hardly proper compensation for that. Then again, if Alfred was coming tomorrow, he could just ask him then -

"Oh, yeah, here's my number if you ever need anything," Kiku had been too busy debating with himself to notice Alfred taking his hand, scrawling a number with a blue pen onto it. "Or if you wanna share your witch secrets with me. I swear I'm good at keeping secrets."

Kiku felt his cheeks warm up again. "I-I'll have to think it over. Thank you, Alfred."

They bid each other good-bye, and both made their way through the parking lot in opposite directions. Alfred's heart was still racing - had he _really_ just given a boy his number in such a cliche fashion? And not just any boy, but a _witch?_ Kiku didn't seem like a typical witch he had read about or seen from movies, he seemed... _normal_. He was quiet and reserved, and the bit he could get out of him left much to think about. Alfred didn't mind talking about himself or about anything in general, that was just how Alfred was, but Kiku seemed more shy than his brother Matthew. He couldn't tell what he was thinking or if Kiku even fully trusted him; understandable, seeing as Alfred witnessed something he clearly should not have witnessed.

Which only made Alfred want to get to know Kiku _more_. This was the last thing he thought would happen when his father got him and his brother season tickets to the festival. Of course, he would keep this shut with a tight lid from his family and friends - he didn't want to lose Kiku's trust so easily.

It was later that evening when both had returned home that Alfred received a text from Kiku, who had worked up the courage (and nearly conjured up a bravery spell, but he knew he was being dramatic) to send a simple text message.

"You met someone already?" Yao had asked when he noticed Kiku's phone going off several times in a row.

"Y-Yes," he answered. It took a lot not to confide in his brother what happened that day. "He came by the shop twice and offered to walk me out when I was finished for the day."

"Wow, he sounds...friendly." He turned back to his spellbook. "Doesn't sound like your type, though."

Kiku almost dropped the glass jar he was holding. "M-My type? What is that supposed to mean?"

" _Little brother,"_ Yao began in Mandarin, "a boy doesn't offer to walk to your car at night if he didn't see you as more than a friend."

"We just met today, Yao."

"Okay, Kiku. I'll use this in my speech at your wedding." He laughed at Kiku's mortified expression, flipping a page in his book. "Just be careful. You know witches and humans don't usually last very long together."

 _I know that,_ he wanted to answer. Instead, he turned back to polishing the glass jar in his hands. _I'm not looking for a boyfriend anytime soon._


	3. Fortunes and Maple Syrup

**this chapter made me wanna cry i cannot believe i had to do more research for a fic than for a school paper this is ridiculous  
** **btw, when characters speak a language other than english, it will be in _italics!_**

* * *

"So can you fly on a broomstick?"

"I don't think so."

"'Think'? You mean you haven't tried before?"

Kiku gave a side glance towards the blonde as he took a sip from his hot chocolate. "I'm not about to jump off a roof with a broom, Alfred."

They were both seated by the cash register during one of Kiku's breaks, and Alfred was dressed in a hoodie and jeans while Kiku borrowed one of Yao's longer cloaks for the day. It had been a few days since they had met, and everyday that Kiku worked the tent Alfred would spend a few hours talking with him. What they didn't get to discuss through texting usually was brought up in person.

"Even if we _could_ fly on broomsticks, where would be go? We could just drive or walk."

"If you needed to go to California, you could just fly there." He answered.

"Why California?"

"I dunno," Alfred paused to think, taking a bite out of his candied apple. "The beach is nice. Plus they have In-N-Out Burger."

Before they could get into another topic, several footsteps came bounding up the stairs to the tent. Kiku's opinion on fast-food would have to wait as a blonde stepped into the shop, wavy hair pulled back into a small ponytail and lavender eyes looking around the tent with slight curiosity.

Alfred immediately stood, grinning. "Matt! You made it!"

 _Matt?_ Kiku thought as the blonde pulled the wavy-haired boy into a bear hug. _Oh. His brother._

The first thing Kiku realized was that the two looked _extremely_ similar. The only major differences between the two were the straight and wavy hairstyles, blue and lavender eyes, and Matthew seemed to have more freckles and fairer skin than Alfred did. Other than that, Matthew could easily pass for his brother if he cut his hair.

"Hey, Al," his brother's reply was muffled by his hoodie. "What are you up to?"

Alfred pulled back to gesture to Kiku. "We were just about to discuss In-N-Out Burger. Kiku, this is my brother Matthew. Matt, this is Kiku."

The raven-haired boy waved. "Nice to meet you. Alfred's told me a lot about you."

"Likewise. I think it's really cool that you get to work here," Matthew gave a warm smile. Kiku then decided that he liked Matthew - his quiet and calm demeanor was similar to his own. His voice was even soft and flowed with the ease of syrup. "I love the renaissance festival. We used to come all the time when Al and I were kids."

"My family did, too. My parents felt it was only natural to have me work here." Remembering he had an actual _job_ to do, the witch asked, "Would you like to try a sample of some perfume?"

Matthew ended up purchasing a bundle just as Alfred did a few days ago. His choices were also slightly different from his brother: a lotion and cologne labeled "Honey Tea" and "Fresh Maple Wood". He almost got Alfred to buy another lotion that was supposedly for attractiveness, but Matthew stopped him before he could spend the rest of his allowance. Kiku was shaping up to be quite the salesman, if he did say so himself.

Matthew spent the rest of the day with the pair, and Kiku didn't mind one bit. The brothers were so different from each other and from people he interacted with at his high school— they were a breath of fresh air, if you will, from his daily life. He found himself dreading closing time as that meant he would have to wait until next weekend to see Alfred and his brother again. Had he known he would be making friends, Kiku would have opted to spend the weekdays working at the festival as well. Not to mention he would have spent more time on his witch attire during his spare time; the fake witches he sees roaming around far surpassed his own clothing.

"It's getting dark. We should be getting back home, Al," The wavy-haired blonde said as he checked his wristwatch. "Papa will get worried."

Alfred groaned melodramatically. "But we just _got_ here!"

"You made me drop you off earlier than me. Like, around nine in the morning, when the park opened." Matthew rolled his eyes. "Plus, we have a paper due by the end of the break that you haven't even started."

Kiku could tell Alfred wanted to reply, but instead he settled for pouting. " _Fine._ Keeks, do you want us to wait for you to clock out?"

While the offer was tempting, he knew he shouldn't be selfish and keep them. "I'm okay. You two should get home before your father starts worrying. I still have an hour and a half left here."

They parted ways, and the last of his shift was spent with few customers. His sales were not as impressive as the past few days, but then again, people did not come to the renaissance festival for lotion or perfume. Now that he thought about it, Kiku hadn't really had the chance to explore the park and see what new attractions they had himself. Even the tents next to his own were a mystery to him, and he figured he should at least drop by and see what they had for sale.

Once he clocked out, the boy made his way back to the park, passing several food vendors and clothing shops that held little interest to him. The jousting competition only happened during the day, the sword fights had already been battled, and the park's wind and fire show just had its last showing. No wonder Kiku's family never visited during the evening - it was completely dry to anyone who didn't enjoy alcohol or dancing. Even most of the shops were beginning to close up for the evening, and he was beginning to regret returning to the park when he heard someone call out towards him.

"Young man!" the voice was flamboyant, and had a slight accent. "You there!"

Kiku slowed his pace, glancing beside himself to make sure he hadn't been mixed up with someone else. Looking over his shoulder, he hadn't realized he had been passing by a fortune teller's carriage. "Me?"

A man stood near the steps to the carriage, a cigarette in between his fingers. His golden, shoulder length curls stopped near his shoulders, and a soft blue silk scarf was wrapped around his head. His puffy, white blouse was tucked into a pair of simple black trousers, black flats completing the look. He indeed looked the part of a "typical" fortune teller that would attract customers. "Yes, you. Fancy a fortune? Or would you like to have your cards read?"

Witches were very familiar with the art of fortune telling. As both used a similar form of magic, they respected each other's work, however kept their magic separate. Kiku had known a few fortune tellers through family, but he had never had his fortune told or picked from a tarot deck. Knowing the renaissance festival, the fortune tellers that were here were probably shams just as the other witches and fairies were. Still, the ability to tell one's future was indeed something that fascinated Kiku, though he would never give up being a witch to tell fortunes for the rest of his life.

"I-I don't think so," he answered, fidgeting with the strap of his satchel. "I'm just about to head home."

"Plenty of time for a card reading! It's on the house." the man was persistent, but something about him told Kiku that he was being earnest. Maybe he was a _real_ fortune teller among fakes?

Kiku checked his phone for the time. He still had an hour left before curfew. "If you insist..."

"Of course I insist. Come, it's warmer inside." The blonde put out his cigarette and stared up the steps to the carriage.

Kiku followed, thankful for the warmth of the carriage. It held a slight smoky smell - he guessed the man smoked frequently - and a hint of vanilla. A round table was set in the middle with two chairs on opposite sides of each other, and a deck of rectangular cards sat in the middle of the table. There was a locked cabinet with shelves full of different types of jars and bottles, every one labeled something different with a piece of white tape. Curtains covered the windows, and several brightly colored veils hung from the walls. Smaller drawers and cabinets lined the back wall, and from the ceiling hung a paper lamp in the shape of a flower bud, emitting a soft golden glow to the carriage. Overall, it was much more impressive than his own plain tent.

"Have a seat," the blonde gestured to the chair before him. "What's your name?"

"Kiku," the boy replied, taking a seat in the plush chair. "Honda."

"Nice to meet you, Kiku," The man took the seat opposite of him, taking the deck of cards in his hands. "My name is Francis. Now, don't look so nervous! Fortune telling and tarot readings are my specialty. I've been doing this for quite a long time."

Kiku nodded, though his heart remained racing. "How-How does it work?"

Francis began shuffling the cards, "Well, that's up to you. Is there a specific question you need answering to? Or would you just like to see what the cards say? For example, I can see what they have to say about your health or school career."

"I don't think I have a specific question..." he said meekly. "C-Can we just see what the cards have to say?"

" _Yes, no problem."_ Francis replied, and Kiku recognized his words as french. He finished shuffling the deck, fanning out the cards before the boy. "Pick ten cards."

His fingers hovered above the cards, hesitant to pick. He remembered briefly a scene from a movie— he was supposed to be the cards that "called" to him, right? It was something straight out of a Disney Channel movie, but Kiku took the advice and eventually picked ten cards, keeping them face down as he handed them to Francis. The blonde gave a nod before setting the rest of the deck to the side, making room on the table for Kiku's spread.

Slender fingers set down the first card. "The Hermit."

The card had an elderly man in a black robe, holding a staff with one hand and a lamp with the other. "What does it mean?"

"The Hermit represents loneliness, withdrawal, and isolation," the blonde answered. "This first card is usually your present situation - meaning it's safe to assume you possess these qualities." He set down another card from the deck over the first card diagonally. "This would be your problem. The Tower."

Kiku didn't like the image of the burning tower in the card too much. "It looks...bad."

"The Tower represents sudden change or sometimes disaster. Something is currently happening that you would dub as a 'disaster', no?" Francis smirked at Kiku's surprised expression. "I won't pry. Let's move on to your past - The Moon." Another card was set down next to the first two, displaying an image of three animals looking up towards a solemn moon. "The Moon represents fear, anxiety and insecurity; traits that have always been in your past.

"The next card," Francis continued, laying down a card with an angel holding a trumpet below the first two cards, "is your recent past. On the one hand, Judgement is rebirth and absolution. On the other, it is also refusal of self-examination and self doubt. The latter applies to your situation. You're refusing to recognize what you really want or even _ask_ yourself what it is you desire from the current situation, which," the next card was set down above the first two cards, and featured three people holding cups towards the sky, "could bring about The Three of Cups. Friendship, unity and community. Not just one new relationship, but several that could lead you out of your isolation."

The witch could feel his face heating up. Francis wasn't outright saying his situation and yet he might as well be spelling it out for him with the cards. "Is that what will happen?"

"It's the best outcome. Your immediate future is..." the next card was put down. "Death!"

"I - Wh-What?" Kiku's eyes widened, and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest. "I'm going to die?"

Francis chuckled, shaking his head. "No, no! _Don't worry._ Death, in this case, is a good-natured card. It brings transition, transformation and change for the better. Once you examine your current situation and really decide what you want out of your new relationship, change will come.

"One of the things holding you back, however, are The Two Swords." The blonde slid the next card towards Kiku, sitting on the right of the first six cards. "They represent confusion, indecision and blocked emotions. You're suppressing emotions in this situation because you're scared of what they could bring in the future - which is understandable, seeing as you're young and inexperienced with the type of feelings you're currently dealing with. However, seeing as you've always had this tendency to isolate and doubt yourself, it's no surprise you're pushing these emotions away. Correct me if I'm assuming too much."

"No...y-you're fine." Kiku mumbled shyly, avoiding his eyes.

Francis nodded, then set the next card down above the last one. A child riding a horse beneath a sun was shown. "Your external influences in your situation: The Sun. Someone in your life now brings warmth and positivity, and may - or may not! - be directly involved with your relationship.

"Now, moving on to your hopes and fears: Nine of Wands," this card featured a frightened man looking towards eight tall poles while holding one himself, and was placed above The Sun. "This card represents everything you hope for: courage, resilience, and persistence. The strength to take a leap of faith with this new relationship and forgo what others tell you. Because of this, you're on edge, defensive and hesitant to take things further or even _consider_ taking things further.

"Finally, your outcome in the future." Kiku looked up towards the man, meeting his eyes anxiously. Francis laughed, amused at the boy's seriousness. "Take it easy, _little one._ It's The Two Cups," the last card was set down above The Nine of Wands, two people holding cups towards each other, "A mutual attraction, love and partnership. If and once you become honest with yourself, the relationship will blossom, along with your new-found courage and resilience."

"How...How can I know if this will really happen?" Kiku asked as Francis began collecting the cards.

"The cards are really only used as guidance. They cannot truly tell one's future unless they make an effort to change themselves from what guidance the cards give them." He stacked the cards in the middle of the table before leaning back in his chair. "Make sense, Kiku?"

The boy nodded slowly, thinking over his words and the cards. As much as he hated to admit it, they were both right. About _everything._

Once Kiku walked down the steps of the carriage, he looked back towards the man with a curious look. "Francis, how long did you say you've been telling fortunes and reading tarot cards?"

The blonde lit another cigarette, inhaling deeply before answering. "Let's just say I've been to this festival and many others like it since before you and your family came to the States." He gave a wink, "Good luck with him, Kiku."

Kiku smiled in return, warm and grateful. He started on his way towards the parking lot, thinking back to something his brother had told him once about fortune tellers.

"They're rumored to live for hundreds of years, traveling the world."

* * *

 **i researched abt tarot cards and readings for 2 hours instead of working on a paper for a class...the things i do for aph**


	4. Ramen Noodles and Friend-versaries

It was Kiku's third weekend working the lotion and perfume tent, and his third week "friend-versary" with Alfred, as the blonde had put it one evening over text. The fact that he was keeping track of how long they knew each other surprised the witch. It also made his face feel warm and made his chest feel fuzzy, but Kiku tried not to think about that too much.

Though, after having his cards read by Francis the other night, he spent more time _thinking_. Most of the time it was about Alfred, but the other part of it was about himself and what he thought he should do now that someone knew who he was. Someone knew who he was and wasn't going to tell everyone or try to hunt him down, like his parents had always warned him about. Someone was making his days full of things to look forward to, and like the cards had said before, Alfred was filling his days with sunshine even on rainy days.

He was friends with Alfred Jones and anyone could tell that there was some level of mutual attraction to each other platonically, but was he really ready if something were to happen to change their relationship? He'd never dated anyone before, let alone another _boy,_ and while his family had no problem with whatever sexual orientation Kiku might declare, he still felt anxious. He was in no way an overtly affectionate person, whereas Alfred practically used physical touch with everyone he talked to. They could hold a conversation well enough, but Kiku wasn't as talkative as the other. On some nights he even fell asleep during their text messaging because Alfred would be telling a story or recounting a recent event of his.

He had his head buried in his arms as he sat near the cash register, head spinning from debating with itself all morning. Kiku hadn't even noticed someone had stepped into the shop until he heard his name being called out.

Immediately he looked up, but instead of meeting crystal blue eyes he had been waiting for, he met eyes with a pair of honey brown irises. "Kiku!"

"Feliciano, Ludwig," the witch stood from his seat, moving to greet his two friends. Neither of them were dressed for the festival, instead donning normal clothes. Knowing Ludwig, he was probably too embarrassed to put on a costume and Feliciano wouldn't want him to feel pressured. "I forgot you two were visiting today. I'm sorry, I've had a lot on my mind."

"Is it about Alfred?" The brunet grinned, pulling away from hugging Kiku. "Is he coming today? Can we finally meet him?"

"Y-Yes, he's coming by today." He replied. "He said it was our three week 'friend-versary'."

"'Friend-versay'?" Ludwig asked, sharing a bemused glance with Feli. "Sounds like something Feli would have come up with."

The raven-haired boy nodded, chuckling at their expressions. "I don't have a clue, either. I assume it's like an anniversary but without the romance." He moved to sit behind the cash register, gesturing for the two to take a seat. "How are you two liking the festival?"

"Can you believe Ludwig's never been to the renaissance festival? In his entire _life?"_ Feliciano started dramatically, giving an incredulous look towards the blonde.

"I only moved here a few years ago, Feliciano. And I've been to a few in Germany." He rolled his eyes in response. He turned to Kiku, "So far, it's nice. I've already asked Feli, but what food do you think I should try?"

Kiku thought for a moment before his eyes lit up. "The candied apples are Yao's and my favorite. Which I keep forgetting to bring him..."

The three met during Kiku's freshman year of highschool. Ludwig had been a foreign exchange student that had caught the attention of Feliciano, and Kiku's quiet demeanor naturally attracted Ludwig. While the two were completely oblivious to the fact that they were close friends with a witch, it never came up in the years they had known each other. They had been inseparable, and for the past two years they had shared Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas together with a special potluck each time.

(That past Halloween, Feliciano had convinced the three of them to dress as Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. Kiku was lucky enough to had been Luke - Ludwig was left to be Princess Leia as Feliciano's favorite character was Han Solo.)

"You should invite Alfred to the next potluck," The Italian chirped, caramel eyes glinting. "More people, more food!"

"As much as I like Alfred, I wouldn't want to impose on our tradition," Kiku answered truthfully, appreciating the gesture. "It's always been just the three of us."

"So you _do_ like him?"

"He's red to his ears, leave him alone, Feli," While Ludwig sounded serious, Kiku could still hear the smile in his voice over him blushing up to his ears.

"That-That _isn't_ what I meant." He mumbled, avoiding the pair's eyes. Feliciano laughed.

As they soon jumped into a discussion about their upcoming exams and how they each _dreaded_ Mr. Roderich's musical theory exam, footsteps came bounding up the stairs to the tent followed by a loud cry of "Kiku, dude!"

Kiku was out of his seat as soon as he heard the footsteps, but was unprepared when he felt two arms wrap around him in what he could only describe as a bear hug - and he instantly knew it was Alfred who had arrived. His blush from earlier came flooding back into his cheeks full-force, and before he could even return the hug the blonde had pulled away, grinning a dazzling grin.

"Happy three week friend-versary!" Alfred held out a small, velvet black pouch for him to take.

Kiku's eyes flickered between the pouch and Alfred's eyes, unsure of what to say. They were supposed to give each other gifts? If that were the case, he could have gotten him something from the shop - the lotion or cologne he had first bought on the day they met. Alfred should have told him it was customary to give each other gifts - now it looked as if Kiku didn't care enough to get him a gift. "Alfred, I-I can't..."

"No, yes, you can," he insisted, placing the pouch in one of Kiku's hands. "Really. I actually just got it this morning at one of the shops."

"I didn't get you anything, though." He knit his eyebrows together in disappointment, a small frown on the witch's face.

"You can get me something for our next friend-versary. Don't sweat it, Keeks."

With that smile, Kiku couldn't bring himself to argue further. He took the pouch, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Thank you."

A throat clearing behind him brought them out of their moment. Alfred looked behind him and met eyes with Ludwig and Feli, who had been watching their interaction with obvious interest. "No way! Are they your friends? The ones you told me about?"

"Y-Yes. Feliciano, Ludwig, this is Alfred Jones. Alfred, these are two of my classmates, Feliciano Vargas and Ludwig Beilschmidt."

The two rose to meet the blonde, who met them with the energy of an excited puppy. As expected, he instantly hit it off with Feli, who had matched his energy and Ludwig may not have met his energy, he did get a good first impression from the earlier interaction with Kiku. Overall, both Feli and Ludwig could tell Alfred truly cared for Kiku - whether it were in a romantic or platonic way was left a mystery to them, however. Alfred seemed the type to gift any of his friends. Regardless, it was a relief to Kiku that his closest friends had gotten along with him.

Kiku suddenly remembered something during their conversation. "Feli, Ludwig, aren't you two going to look around the festival? I feel as if I'm keeping you."

"Oh, yeah!" The brunet gasped, turning to the taller of the four. "If we hurry, we can make the jousting tournament!"

"I'd feel rude to leave," Ludwig said, to which the witch shook his head.

"I'm fine, really. This _is_ my job, after all."

Alfred hooked his arm around Kiku's shoulders, and he could feel the blush reach up to his ears. "Yeah, and he's got me to keep him company!"

Feliciano and Ludwig shared a quick glance before agreeing to leave, promising to stop by on their way home. The raven haired boy turned towards the blonde, shrugging out of Alfred's arms. "You say it isn't necessary, but I still insist on giving you a gift somehow."

"Keeks, it's really fine," he waved him off, but then seemed to think better of it. "Well, okay, you _can,_ but you really don't have to."

"I really do," Kiku insisted.

"Then instead of getting me an actual present, come with me to this really good ramen house." His eyes were shining more than they usually did. "I've been there once with Matt and it was _the_ best ramen I've ever had."

Now, Kiku Honda had never truly been asked out on a date before, but from what he's seen in television shows and various anime, this sounded like a date. Unless there was going to be others joining them, but with the way Alfred phrased the request, it didn't sound like there was going to be anyone else but the two of them. Which was perfectly fine, as that was how it was every weekend, but this was going to be in a much more intimate setting - but what if this was _just_ two friends going out together? He'd be disappointed if it _were_ just a friendly outing, but he'd still be just as terrified if it were something else.

Kiku could feel his palms grow clammy, but attempted to calm down his nerves. He hasn't even said yes yet and he's already having a panic attack. "Would-Would it be just the two of us?"

"Totally," Alfred - for once - sensed the anxious mood and quickly added, "if you're cool with that. We could invite Feli and -"

"No, no," Kiku wasn't sure how he was even able to speak; his heart was practically in his throat. "It's okay. That would be nice. I think I could go for some ramen."

Alfred's grin couldn't possibly be any brighter. "Sweet! I can pick you up. Are you free this Friday night?"

He nodded, feeling a smile grow onto his lips. Date or not, Kiku found himself excited.

The week could not have gone any faster for the both of them. Finally, after several homework assignments and three pop quizzes on Alfred's end, Friday evening had arrived.

Yao had helped Kiku with his outfit choice - even after several attempts of sending him away, he remained to help his little brother on his first "date" - and sent him off when Alfred had pulled into their driveway. He was obviously more excited and enthusiastic for this date than Kiku, who was nearly trembling and about ready to turn tail and run back into the house. A date was obviously what he wanted, but he didn't think it would happen so _soon._

The drive was pleasant enough; there weren't many moments of silence as Alfred talked enough for the both of them. His driving was also enough to comment on; Kiku wouldn't categorize it as "road rage", but more as bitter and sarcastic commenting that made him actually laugh out loud.

The restaurant was not too far from Kiku's place, so they arrived relatively soon. It was

smaller than most others Kiku had been to, but there was quite a lot of people waiting outside so it must be good to attract so many customers. There was a list of names with size of their parties on the window the the restaurant, which Alfred quickly scribbled down, and occasionally someone would step out and call a name. It was definitely different from the ramen houses Kiku has been to before, but it wasn't too cold outside and Alfred was not at all bad company to wait with.

"I don't wanna be stereotypical or anything, but does your family make their own ramen?" The blonde asked, hands stuffed into his jacket pockets.

Kiku chuckled. "It's very rare when my parents make it. Since I'm half japanese and half chinese, we get a mix of both types of food."

"Dude, you're so lucky. My dad can't cook for shit," He laughed, enticing another giggle from Kiku. "Matt does literally all the cooking when he's not around."

"What about you?"

"I _would_ cook, but I, like my father, have zero skills in the kitchen. I survive off of fast food and Mattie's pancakes."

"Well," the boy started, cautiously, "if you'd like, you could come by sometime and try my parents' cooking."

Alfred nodded enthusiastically, and that warm feeling spread across Kiku's chest again. "Dude, yes! I'm so down."

Their table was called, and they were led inside by one of the hostesses. The restaurant at was indeed much smaller than it looked on the outside, with five booths against the walls and several tables in the middle. The kitchen was also small and appeared practically squished against the back of the restaurant, waiters rushing in and out with bowls of ramen in their hands. The hostess led them to one of the middle tables, handing them menus.

Kiku was surprised to see the menus were mainly in Japanese, with English translations underneath the characters. "What do you recommend, Alfred?"

His blue eyes scanned the menu before pointing to a picture of a bowl of ramen on his menu, "Last time I was here, I got that one. But this other one is pretty spicy and Mattie got the vegetable one."

The options looked absolutely delicious. There wasn't much to choose from aside the five main types of ramen, but Kiku had had most of the foods listed on the menu. They had agreed on ordering pork _gyoza_ as an appetizer before ordering their own choice of ramen, leaving the two of them to make conversation after the waiter left. It always amazed the witch how _easily_ the two of them could fall into conversation; usually, Kiku would struggle to keep the conversation going or even put in effort to talk, but topic after topic seemed to flow from his mouth when he was with Alfred. Like Feliciano and Ludwig, their conversations were effortless and smooth, laughs bubbling out of the both of them at each sarcastic remark or witty comment. If this was a date, then the both of them could get used to it.

Their soup and _gyoza_ had arrived rather quickly, much to their delight. Kiku broke his chopsticks apart, picked up his duck spoon and was about to dig in until he noticed Alfred had his phone out, facing him.

"What?" Kiku stirred his soup, raising an eyebrow.

"It's your first time, I need to get this for Snapchat," the blonde replied matter-o-factly, grinning at Kiku's expression after taking his first bite of the noodles. "How is it?"

If there was one thing Kiku Honda appreciated, it was good food - and this was _really_ good, authentic food. "This is... _the_ best ramen I've had in a long time."

"Right!" He set his phone down and picked up his own chopsticks, breaking them apart. "I'm stoked you like it. The _gyoza_ is really good, too. "

Alfred had gotten the _tantanmen_ , and Kiku had gotten the traditional _tonkotsu_ ramen (to play it safe; he wasn't entirely convinced the restaurant would be as good as it ended up being). After trying Alfred's, Kiku had vowed to get the _tantanmen_ the next time he would visit - or _they_ would visit. Was it too soon to be imagining future dates? Probably, but for now, the witch didn't care. There was good food and good company, so that was all he would focus on.

Bowls nearly empty and _gyoza_ eaten, Alfred insisted on paying the check. While what they had wasn't exactly expensive, Kiku felt obliged to pay since this was his gift for their "friend-versary", but was persuaded - only because the blonde had given his card to the waiter faster than Kiku could.

"Thank you, Alfred," the raven-haired boy had said once they were out of the restaurant and into the chilly night air. "That was really good."

"Thanks for going out with me! I don't like going out to eat alone," he replied, falling into step with the shorter boy. "Plus, I've been meaning to take you out. I mean, not in, like, a date way, if that's what you're thinking - unless you're cool with that, then this is totally a date. But only if you're cool with it, I mean, I don't even know if you swing that way -"

"Alfred." Kiku was red to the tips of his ears, despite the cold. They both had stopped walking.

He looked towards him, instantly regretting letting his mouth go off. He expected to see confusion, disgust or even anger, but instead Kiku looked - _happy._ Granted, he refused to look at Alfred, but there was a hint of a smile on his face and his blush was enough to match that of a tomato. "Kiku, look, I didn't mean to..."

The boy shook his head. "D-Don't apologize. I wasn't sure you felt that way, but now that I know you do..." Brown eyes met blue. "I guess I should be honest about it, too."

"...Holy shit, no way," It wasn't exactly the response Kiku was looking for, but it did make him laugh. "Dude, you're joshing me."

"I'm not." He smiled at his surprised expression. "I don't eat ramen with just anyone, you know."

Foregoing Kiku's personal bubble, Alfred engulfed Kiku in another hug, laughing into his hair. The shorter didn't find himself minding, even around so many people. "I believe you!"

* * *

 **the ramen house was based off of one in my hometown. definitely better than instant noodles.**


	5. Fire Breathing and Target Practice

"So, like, no hand holding? Ever?"

"Not _ever,_ just...not in public."

"What about kissing?"

Kiku didn't know if it were possible to blush any harder than what he already was. It had barely been over two weeks of dating and he had blushed more times than he could count. "W-We haven't even done that, yet!"

The blonde snickered, finding his blush endearing. "Can't hurt to plan ahead. But seriously, what's up with you and PDA? I mean, I'm okay with your severe hatred for it, but I'm curious."

"I don't have a 'severe hatred' for it. I'm just not...used to it," His voice dropped to a mumble. "This is my first actual relationship."

Alfred couldn't help grinning like a dope, reaching to lightly pinch one of Kiku's warm cheeks. "Keeks, when you get all cute like that I literally can't help it. And you're cute _all_ the time." His eyes dropped down to his neck, noticing the black string tied loosely around it. "Hey, you're wearing the gift I got you!"

Kiku's hand closed around the gem tied to the black string around his neck. The necklace Alfred had gotten him was from one of the gem shops: a small, polished sugilite gem. His knowledge of gemstones was very limited, but the deep violet color was appealing and stood out against his pale skin. "Of course. Though, I still feel obliged to get you something in return."

"A funnel cake sounds like a good payment." He suggested. Kiku rolled his eyes, smiling. The festival had just opened, and the smell of freshly fried funnel cakes wafted into the potions tent from the food vendors nearby. He had to admit, they smelled divine despite already having had breakfast a few hours before.

That Sunday proved to be a particularly slow day for the business, even though the park was just as full as any other day. This weekend's theme happened to be dragon themed, and the few people that had stepped into the shop were dressed beyond appropriately. Some of them had constructed their own sets of wings, claws and tails. Dragons were widely known within the witching world and stretched beyond just witches; they used to populate the entire world before they had been slayed over the years by various dragon slayers. Dragon slayers, together with witch and mermaid hunters, had driven many mythical creatures out of their homes and in the case of mermaids, to the near point of extinction. Mermaids haven't ventured of the water in ages due to the fear of being caught and sold.

Kiku had never met a dragon, however. Neither has his family, but his family friends have had their fair share of dragon encounters. They were said to be very proud and notoriously greedy, with a penchant for collecting jewelry. Like mermaids, they, too, had human forms that they relied on during the day, however their skin remained completely fire proof. He'd be lying if he said he never wanted to meet one, dragon form or not.

Hours passed by, and per Alfred's request, he took his lunch break to join him for a well-deserved funnel cake. Once in line for one of the vendors, Kiku took notice of the large crowd gathered around one of the small stages set next to the various food vendors, awaiting a performance. Alfred noticed this, "It's for the fire and wind show. Or is it fire breathing? One of the two."

The smaller boy shivered. "Fire breathing sounds so dangerous. Would you be able to do it?"

"I think I'm already hot enough." He grinned, and Kiku covered his mouth as he laughed.

The line moved quickly, thankfully, and the two were soon sitting at one of the benches near the potions tent with a decent view of the stage. Alfred took the first bite of the dessert, powdered sugar dusting one of his cheeks. "This is definitely acceptable payment."

Kiku reached a hand out to wipe at the sugar, "Definitely not. I'll find something better."

Before Alfred could reply, the crowd broke out in cheers as the stage's curtains were drawn and out stepped a tall, burly figure. He had a thick, red scarf wrapped around his neck, and donned a familiar renaissance costume as many of the other employees - however, his was all black leather with red accents. His hair was almost as pale as his skin, the sun glittering against it as he greeted the audience with a sweet smile. His stature was something you would expect to be doing a deed as dangerous as fire breathing, however his face seemed almost too delicate to even come in contact with the element. Yet if he looked so excited to get started, who was Kiku to tell him otherwise?

"Good afternoon!" His european accent was evident as he spoke through his headset microphone. "I assume you all came for the fire and wind show?"

The audience cheered a response back, to which he chuckled. "The wind seems to have blown us in the right direction! My name is Ivan, and I will be your fire expert for today's performance. My partner," he gestured towards a slightly shorter and much more slender man as he pushed aside the stage's curtains to walk on stage, "Toris, will be our wind expert. Without further prattling, let's get started!"

Toris had slightly longer, chestnut colored hair, which he had tied back into a low ponytail. In contrast to Ivan, his own set of clothes were all white with green accents. He had come from backstage with several materials in his hands, which he laid out onto a wooden table which sat to the far left of the stage. Kiku and Alfred couldn't quite see what items were on the table, but they listened on with interest.

It seemed that Ivan was up first. He pulled on a pair of leather gloves before picking up a black whip from the table, along with a small, thin candle. He held the whip away from his face and set the candle towards the bottom of the leather, igniting the entire string except for the handle. The crowd expressed a noise of awe and slight concern, but seemed to lean in closer for a better look. Ivan handed the candle to Toris before turning back towards the audience. "Just to be clear, I know exactly what I'm doing," He grinned, pulling a laugh from the audience. "Those of you in the front row may feel a bit warmer for the next few minutes."

He took a few steps away from the edge of the stage before cracking his whip, a burst of flames erupting from the leather towards the audience. Alfred and Kiku let out a noise of surprise along with the audience, having finished their funnel cake a few moments before. Ivan laughed at their surprise, tossing the whip into the air and catching it with his other hand. He threw it into the air once more, flipping it once and successfully catching it again with the same hand. Another crack, another burst of flames sent towards the audience. This went on for the next few minutes; skilled tossing and catching combined with loud cracks of his whip. When he saw that the audience was beginning to tire of his routine, the corners of Ivan's lips twitched into a slight smirk. He tossed the whip in a bucket of water and walked towards the table once more to pick up a black rod, igniting it with the candle. He took a swig from a bottle on the table, but didn't drink it immediately, instead keeping the liquid in his mouth,

"What's in his mouth?" Alfred asked, standing up to try to get a better view.

Kiku mimicked his actions, but wasn't able to see over the heads of some people. "No idea. Is he going to try fire breathing?"

Ivan returned to the center of the stage, backing up a bit. He gripped the rod tightly, bringing it close to his mouth and blowing out a stream of fire, dazzling the audience. The pale-haired man took their amazement as encouragement, bringing to his lips once more and blowing out a burst of flames that swirled into the air.

Kiku was only able to see the fire itself, but he could guess that Ivan was fire breathing. He was on the tips of his toes, straining to see over the crowd, and once Alfred noticed this, he felt his cheeks flush as a grin spread over his features. How did he manage to be so _cute?_

"Keeks, here," The blonde turned his back to him, squatting down slightly. "You'll see better with a piggyback ride."

The blush on the shorter boy's face could rival that of the fire that was currently filling the air. "Y-You don't have to..."

"I know, but I _want_ to."

He knew there was no arguing with him. He hesitantly climbed onto his back, setting his hands onto Alfred's shoulders as he felt his feet leave the ground. He wasn't self conscious about his weight, but this was technically some form of PDA that he definitely did not prepare himself for. Though, Kiku did get a better view of what was happening on stage with Ivan, who was still wowing the audience with his fire breathing techniques. Toris stood to the side, polishing a set of arrows with a cloth.

What Kiku found strange, however, is that Ivan had not taken another drink of the liquid from the bottle on the table in quite a while. While he may have had the audience fooled, the witch could easily tell there was nothing in his mouth when he blew out puff after puff of fire. Not to mention the fire itself was beginning to extend a bit further into the air, growing longer and longer as if trying to reach the sky.

The boy leaned down towards Alfred's ear, "I think Ivan's a dragon."

Alfred craned his neck back towards him, his voice laced with excitement. "What? Dude, really? How can you tell?"

"He hasn't touched that bottle in the past few minutes. He's making the flames on his own." The blonde looked back towards the man on stage, paying close attention to the way he puffed his cheeks out to make it appear as if he were holding the liquid inside. "The audience just doesn't realize it because they're so entranced by the fire. _Real_ dragon's fire is different from ordinary fire."

Ivan blew out one final breath of fire directly into the sky, the edges curling out and leaving slight sparks in the air. The audience cheered and he graciously took a bow, grinning at the response he received. "Thank you! I think that's enough fire for now. I think we should move onto the wind portion of our performance, wouldn't you agree?"

The crowd responded positively, Ivan taking a step to the side as Toris took center stage. He gave a shy smile towards the audience, gloved hands adjusting his head mic. He had a bow strapped to his person and a bag of arrows hanging onto his right shoulder. "Thank you, Ivan," Like his partner before him, Toris also had a european accent. "I think we've had enough of fire for today, right? I'd say we get right to the _interesting_ part of the show!"

He removed the bow from his person and grabbed an arrow from his bag, rolling his shoulders. "For those of you who didn't notice, there are targets placed on several of the trees and buildings around the stage." Toris pointed towards one of the food vendor's buildings, where a target sat at the very top of its roof; towards the three that Alfred and Kiku were standing next to; and finally, towards a particularly tall tree which stood a little ways past Kiku's potion tent. The last one looked especially challenging due to its distance, and Kiku noticed there were arrows lodged in all three targets. "We will warm up with those before we move on to moving targets."

The crowd applauded, watching as he began loading the arrow onto the bow, which he pointed towards the ground. He nocked the arrow, attaching the back of the arrow to the bowstring before bringing the bow upright, directly pointing to the target that stood on the food vendor's roof. The crowd was completely hushed, Alfred and Kiku holding their breaths in anticipation as Toris drew back the string, one eye closed shut for better accuracy. A pause - and then the arrow shot through the air, puncturing the target's bulls-eye along with an arrow that had previously been lodged in its center. Toris didn't pay much attention to the audience's impressed reaction, instead loading his bow with another arrow to take aim at the tree the duo found themselves standing next to. Luckily, the target was a placed a bit higher on its trunk instead of directly next to the two. The brunet closed one eye again and let the arrow fly, landing directly in its center once again. Kiku flinched at the sound, but looked up towards the target with Alfred in awe.

Another arrow was loaded into his bow, raised towards the tall tree near the potion tent. The crowd was silenced again, all looking towards either the tree or the bowman as he took a few moments to perfect his aim with one eye shut. The string was drawn and the arrow flew with intense speed towards the target, landing directly in the middle of it and, again, cutting straight into another arrow, splitting it in half. The audience broke out in whoops and hollers.

Toris took a bow, grinning. "Thank you! But now, we can move onto the fun part," he gestured towards Ivan, who now stood next to the table with newly added items. He picked up a bright red apple, tossing it between his hands. "Ivan will act as my assistant. He will throw various objects - like this apple - into the air and I will try to shoot them so they will land in those targets, up there." Three targets sat on the top of the stage, just above the curtains.

He nodded towards Ivan, loading his bow and raising it to aim at the target on the far left. Ivan chucked the apple into the air, directly in front of the target and Toris wasted no time in shooting, his arrow piercing through the fruit and hitting the target perfectly.

"Wow," Kiku gasped, watching as another fruit was tossed into the air and ruptured into the next target. "He's _really_ good."

"Do you think he's, like, something mystical?" The blonde asked, following another arrow as it hit its target. He shifted Kiku a bit higher so he could get a better view.

"Unless being a very talented bowman can be considered 'mystical', I don't think so." He laughed, but it was slightly drowned out by the crowd's enthusiastic response.

Toris took another bow, smiling proudly at his handiwork. He gestured towards Ivan, who also took a small bow. "Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for our last segment!" The brunet said as the taller of the two took another apple from the table and positioned himself stage right, directly in front of another target which hung on a tree right next to the stage. "My assistant will stand a little ways in front of the target with a fruit on his head, and I will try to shoot it off. However, there is a catch." While he explained the next act to the audience, Toris had traded his wooden bows for a single leather one, igniting the arrowhead with the candle from earlier. Both Alfred and Kiku gasped along with the audience.

He stood center stage, bow poised and aimed directly at the apple which sat on top of Ivan's head. If Ivan was scared, he was hiding it very well with a small smile on his lips. As Toris shut one eye again, he drew back his string. The arrow flew past his fingers, red and orange flames lacing around the leather as the arrowhead shot through the apple, knocking it clean off of Ivan's head and into the target behind him, igniting it in the process. Not a hair on Ivan's head was singed.

"Ivan didn't even flinch!" Alfred exclaimed, blue eyes wide.

"I'm sure I'd faint." Kiku replied, watching as the two men took their respective bows and disappeared behind the curtains of the stage. The audience began to disperse, picking up their belongings to go on with their day, and Alfred set Kiku back down on the ground. "T-Thank you, Alfred. You're right, I was able to see a bit better."

"Told you." He flashed a grin, and glanced towards the stage. "Hey, do you still have time left for your break?"

The witch raised an eyebrow. "Um, I think so. Why?" Alfred didn't answer, but instead began walking down towards the stage, hopping down through the benches until he reached the stage itself. Kiku followed behind, "Alfred, we can't! Are we even allowed backstage?"

The blonde walked around towards the edge of the stage, climbing up. Kiku debated whether or not to follow him, nervously glancing between the people around them and the stage until he eventually gave in, climbing up after him. They ducked in behind the heavy curtains, finding various props and several backdrops, but neither Toris or Ivan.

Alfred frowned. "Where did dragon-boy go?"

Kiku looked back towards the curtains anxiously, but couldn't help but be curious about their whereabouts, also. It wasn't too dark that they couldn't see where they were going, and after a few moments of exploring, he came across a door leading outside. He was sure they would certainly get into trouble if they were caught, and he might have even jeopardized his _job_ over an assumption. A wild one, at that.

Alfred cautiously opened the door, which led to a small area outside that was gated off from the public. Props such as chairs and tables were stacked up along the fence, along with racks of colorful costumes. When the two peeked outside, they were immediately met with Ivan and Toris, who were setting away the props they used for the performance. They didn't hear the door open and their backs were turned, absorbed in conversation.

"Don't you think you might have overdone it, a bit?" The brunet asked, placing his bow into its carrier case. "Someone could have figured out your fire was real."

Ivan waved him off, wrapping the whip's leather into a tight circle. "There are hardly any dragon hunters around, anymore, just as there are hardly any dragons. You worry too much, Toris."

"I worry because I don't want you meeting the same fate as your sister."

"Irunya was much more careless than I am. Her capture was not your fault," His violet eyes flickered from the whip in his hands to Toris. He switched to his native language, _"Do not worry._ _It happened too long ago for me to be severely affected by it anymore."_

The shorter of the duo sighed, placing his arrows into the case alongside his bow. "I know. Just promise me that you'll be more careful for these last few weekends. The festival ends next month and -"

His sentence was cut short when Ivan held up his hand. He sniffed the air once, before turning to look towards the door, meeting two pairs of eyes. Instead of the angry response they expected, the man only smiled knowingly. "I'd know the smell of a witch anywhere."

Kiku's heart nearly stopped. He was able to simply _smell_ that? He wasn't aware there was a distinct scent that witches even _carried!_ Alfred moved in front of him, almost shielding him away in case he attempted to hurt them. And though dragons didn't have a history of eating anything besides sheep and other various animals, Kiku still felt a pang of fear strike his heart.

Ivan only laughed, as did Toris. He gestured for the two to step through the door, shaking his head. "Please, do not be scared. I may be a dragon, but I'm no witch hunter. Neither is Toris."

Alfred gave a wary look. "How could you tell Kiku was a witch?"

The pale-haired man tapped his nose. "Dragons have great senses of smell. Even onstage I was able to tell there was a witch nearby - you all have a distinct smell of broomsticks and cauldron fire. Of course, there are variations based on which element you focus on, but it boils down to those two things every time. Based on the lack of any other element, though, I assume you haven't chosen which to practice?"

The shorter teen shook his head timidly as the blonde moved to stand next to him instead, shutting the door behind them. "N-Not yet."

"So, you're really a dragon?" Alfred couldn't help but ask, excitement suddenly evident in his voice.

Toris answered for him. "Yes, he is. Ivan's been alive for nearly - how long was it? Four hundred years?"

"It will be four hundred and three this upcoming spring."

"Ah, that's right. I met him when he was around two hundred and fifty-four years old. We've grown up together for quite some time."

Kiku suddenly connected the dots in his head. "You're an elf!"

Of course, it made perfect sense. Elves were much more common than dragons due to their uncanny resemblance to humans, which made it much easier to blend into society throughout the years. Dragons and mermaids needed to eventually revert back to their human form after so long, or else risk accidentally turning in public. Elves were also incredibly skilled in archery and hunting, as they lived in forests throughout history. Now that Kiku was a bit closer to Toris, he saw that the tips of his ears were pointed upwards, which could easily be taken as makeup or a costume during the festival.

The brunet nodded. "You're very observant. I can assume your friend is human?"

Alfred nodded, slightly embarrassed about being the only "normal" species amongst them. Kiku replied, "He found out about a month ago."

"It's always nice when witches and humans get along with each other. It wasn't always like that." Ivan said, leaning against the wooden table they had used onstage earlier. "I don't think we've had an actual witch working at the festival in quite a while."

"We've had our fair share of other dragons and elves, and the occasional mermaid every so often, but not witches. This is truly an honor," Toris held his hand out for Kiku to shake, which he did albeit shyly. "Have you met Francis, yet? I'm sure he'd be more than willing to give you a free card reading."

"Oh, yes, I have," Kiku answered, smiling at the memory. "His trade was very interesting. I had only heard of fortune tellers, but experiencing a genuine card reading was quite something." He needed to go back and thank him for the advice with Alfred.

"But, if I may ask," Ivan interjected, changing the subject. "Why you two were so curious to come backstage? I'm surprised you didn't get caught."

"We sort of -" The blonde gave a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, we were wondering if you _really_ were a dragon and wanted to see if you were gonna, like, turn into a real dragon, or something."

 _We?_ Kiku questioned in his mind, giving him a side glance.

Toris and Ivan shared a glance before grinning in amusement at their curiosity. Humans were very easily dazzled by otherworldly beings and subjects. "Well, if he turned into a dragon, over half of the festival's buildings and tents would be wiped out. He's barely able to keep his fire breathing to a minimum."

Ivan adjusted his scarf, wrapping it a bit more snug against his neck. "This scarf keeps me from going extremely overboard. It was made by my sister, but Toris had it charmed by a witch to help keep my identity a secret."

Alfred's disappointment was evident in his response. "Shucks."

The pale-haired man laughed once more, reaching forward to ruffle his blonde hair. "Don't look so upset, _little one._ When the festival is over and done with next month, come find Toris and I." He gave the pair a wink, taking a step back. "I can at least show you genuine dragon fire."

This seemed to appease Alfred, whose eyes shined with a newfound anticipation. "Really? That'd be wicked!"

The two excused themselves after a bit more chatting, since Kiku's break technically ended over fifteen minutes ago. Discreetly - or as discreetly they could be while exiting the front of the stage - they weaved their way through the crowd and back towards the potion tent. No customers were there, thankfully, when they returned. However, on their way back, something from one of the shops nearby had caught the witch's eye.

"So he really _is_ a dragon. A real life dragon!" Alfred was practically buzzing with excitement as Kiku headed into the back tent to grab his satchel. "This is possibly one of the greatest days of my life."

"You're probably the world's greatest secret keeper." The shorter of the two commented, smiling at his enthusiasm. He slipped his satchel over his shoulder, "Will you watch the shop for a few minutes while I do something? I'll be right back."

He agreed, taking up a spot next to the cash register as Kiku left to run whatever errand he needed to run. His mind was still caught up with the fact that he had just met and talked to an elf and a dragon - how many humans can say they've done that?

It didn't take Kiku very long to do whatever he needed to do, and he was back in a little over six minutes with a small, black pouch in hand. Alfred, who had his head in his arms, sat up once he entered the shop. "So, what'd you need to do?"

He didn't answer, but held out the black pouch for him to take. Before Alfred could decline, he took one of his hands to place the pouch in. "Open it. I insist."

The blonde pursed his lips and furrowed his eyebrows together, but didn't resist. He pulled out a necklace which held a gem identical to the one that hung around Kiku's neck, blue eyes growing slightly wide. "This is...like the one I got you."

"Yes. I thought matching necklaces would be a good gift," He watched as Alfred tied the black string around his neck, double knotting it to make sure it wouldn't fall or loosen. "Do you like it?"

"Do I _like_ it?" He asked incredulously, standing from his seat to make his way around the register to pull Kiku into a tight embrace. The smaller boy squeaked in surprise at the sudden affection, but relaxed once he heard Alfred laughing. "This is possibly the _cutest_ present I've ever gotten."

He let a warm smile settle onto his face, reaching up to wrap his arms around his neck.

* * *

 **backstory on ivan because holy shit was i excited to write about him:**  
 **\- DRAGON!**  
 **\- older sister (ukraine) got caught by a dragon hunter when he was around one hundred years old (so like, when he was a child) and he's never seen her since, so his family assumed she was dead**  
 **\- met toris in a field one day as a teenager when he was hunting a pack of sheep, but little did he know that those sheep were TORIS' SHEEP**  
 **\- they became friends when he reverted back to his human form to apologize**  
 **\- loooooooves flying**  
 **\- his fire isn't actually just orange and red it's like blue and green and teal when he isn't holding back it's actually really pretty to look at**

 **we should be getting to some good stuff after the festival ends btw —✩**


	6. Eagle Scouts and Power Napping

"Kiku, you know I've done by absolute best as your brother to make sure you know right from wrong -"

"We're not going to do anything that constitutes as sex, Yao," Kiku narrowed his eyes at his brother through the bathroom mirror, hairbrush in hand. "We already discussed ground rules when we first started dating. I'm just going over for a few hours."

It had been a month of dating between the two, and Alfred finally mustered up the courage to invite Kiku over to his place. It wasn't anything fancy, either, which Kiku appreciated - he didn't think he was ready for an actual meal with his family or formal meeting with his father quite yet. He wasn't sure what the blonde had in mind for the day, but figured it might consist of gaming and various sugary snacks. It sounded like a perfect way to spend his Saturday, in all honesty.

He didn't appreciate his brother's overprotectiveness, however.

Yao was leaning against the doorframe of their shared bathroom, lips set in a frown. "It's not you I don't trust. How can I know Alfred won't try to force you into something?"

Kiku rolled his eyes, focusing his attention on his bed head which currently needed desperate brushing. "Because he isn't like that, Yao. Even if he did do something like that, I'd have him turned into a frog or something just as bad. I've been practicing my curses."

He chuckled, "I've taught you so well." He pushed himself off of the doorframe to stand next to his brother, setting a hand on his shoulder. "Just be careful. I know you must really like this guy, but just be careful with your secrets."

The shorter boy felt a pang of guilt, setting the hairbrush down as he turned to face Yao. His family still had no idea that Alfred knew who he really was. "I'm always careful, Yao," He replied, giving him a reassuring smile before switching to Japanese. _"You worry too much."_

 _"I worry just the right amount."_ Yao answered back in Mandarin, tousling the younger's hair.

Kiku didn't dwell too much on his outfit, pulling on a maroon button up shirt to tuck into a pair of jeans, a black sweater going over it. His satchel was draped across his chest, a small vial of sleeping potion tucked away in it to keep his brother from nagging. He grabbed his car keys and bid his brother good bye, as their parents were both out of town that weekend on witch-related business, and promised to keep him updated with what they were doing. Kiku appreciated his older brother worrying, but he really needed to help Yao with his own love life so he would have something else to worry about.

When Alfred said he lived on the other side of town, he really meant the other side of town. Traffic wasn't too heavy, but it still took a little over forty minutes to arrive at his home - which turned out to be more of a manor . It wasn't gated, thankfully, and Kiku decided to park his car a little ways past the mailbox in front of the _manor,_ thinking it would be a bit rude to take a spot in the driveway. As he stepped out of his car, he couldn't help but stare at the architecture in awe, completely overwhelmed by the luxuriousness of the building. It was practically the size of one third of the renaissance festival!

The lawn was perfectly mowed, the hedges lining the edges of the manor in perfect cubes. There were christmas lights lined along the edges of the rooftops, as well, with several wreaths hung on the windows, with a particularly large on hung on the front door. Alfred's family must have their house professionally decorated for it to look so ornate, Kiku mused as he made his way towards the front door. He tried to calm the butterflies in his stomach as he pressed for the doorbell, taking a few steps back as he waited for an answer. Would there be servants? Would they check his bag before he entered to make sure he wasn't carrying a weapon? To be fair, he was technically carrying one in his satchel, but he could also easily get away with saying it was a type of perfume -

"I've got it!" His thoughts were cut off by a familiar voice yelling on the other side of the door, followed by several footsteps. Locks were undone and the door was pulled open, Alfred's grin greeting Kiku. "Keeks, you made it!"

He dipped down to peck his cheek, causing Kiku's cheeks to flush. He had gotten better at handling PDA, but was nowhere near ready for anything beyond chaste pecking. "I-I nearly got lost. You didn't tell me you lived so lavishly."

"It's just a little bigger than most houses. Dad _loves_ to pretend we're some fancy family, but we're the total opposite," He held the door open, inviting Kiku in. He was immediately welcomed by a grand staircase, which divided into two separate sections. The ceiling was high, and had a twinkling, crystal chandelier hanging from it. The floors were made of spotless, shiny marble, and Kiku almost felt bad to step on such a glossy floor with his shoes. "We order take out, like, every other night. We used to have an actual cook when Matt and I were younger, but since we're older, our dad decided to let all of the servants and stuff go."

So they _used_ to have servants. That was still much fancier than Kiku could ever imagine having. "Is your father here?"

He shook his head, gesturing Kiku to follow him. They walked past the staircase and into a hallway, passing by several family portraits that were affixed to the walls. "Nah, he's out, and Matt's at hockey practice."

...Which meant they were completely alone. In a giant house with possibly more rooms than Kiku could count.

The blonde noticed his lack of response and couldn't help but laugh. "Keeks, dude, relax. The schedule is to just pig out on junk food and game all day. Nothing else, I swear," He held up his right hand, keeping three of his fingers extended while his thumb held down his pinky. "Scout's honor."

"You aren't a boy scout."

"Am too! You're looking at a certified Eagle Scout."

The witch giggled, covering his mouth as he laughed. "I guess I wasn't the only one with a secret identity."

They reached what seemed to be the kitchen, though it was much larger than any kitchen Kiku had seen before. Yao would _kill_ to have a kitchen this big - he took his culinary skills almost as seriously as he took his witch practice. He wondered if he would be able to send a picture of the double ovens that sat below the electric stove to Yao as Alfred grabbed a water bottle from the fridge. Kiku took it gratefully when it was offered to him, taking a seat at the island that stood in the middle of the kitchen.

"I really didn't think you lived like this." He said, twisting the cap to this water bottle open.

"I don't like to flaunt it around," The blonde replied, ducking into the pantry. "It isn't really my money or house, either. Technically, I'm homeless." He sang the last bit, emerging with a packet of popcorn to pop in the microwave.

Kiku rested his cheek in his palm, leaning on his elbow. "You and your brother are just so...down to earth. I never would have guessed. But I think you're better the way you are."

"Aw, you think so?" Alfred set the timer on the microwave before walking around the island to hug the shorter boy from behind. "You wouldn't prefer to date some dragon or mermaid?"

He leaned into the touch, "Mm, nope. I heard mermaids are too high maintenance. And a dragon would outlive me by a couple thousand years."

"You'd settle for an Eagle Scout?"

"I'd settle for an Eagle Scout."

Shoes were kicked off, popcorn was popped and spots were taken on Alfred's mattress as the two jumped into another heated round of _Super Smash Bros._ They had gone through two bags of popcorn and were currently sharing a bag of sour gummy worms, with several cans of soda beginning to litter the ground on Alfred's side. Kiku had lost count of how many rounds Alfred had lost, but the blonde didn't look to be letting up anytime soon, cerulean eyes focused solely on dodging his opponent's attacks.

Kiku grinned when he delivered the final blow, sending Alfred's character flying off-screen. He groaned, burying his face into his comforter, muffling his voice. "You're _cheating!"_

"How can you cheat in _Super Smash?"_ Kiku rolled his eyes, reaching down towards the ground to grab his soda. They were both on their stomachs, laying next to each other comfortably with remote controllers in hand.

Alfred looked up, lips forming a frown. "I don't know, but you just are," He rolled onto his back, sighing. "I still can't believe you main Kirby."

"He has good moves, as you can clearly see. And I'm a fan of cute things."

"I know. You're dating me, aren't you?"

"Oh, _ha-ha."_ He set his drink back down before lightly poking Alfred's side. "I take back what I said about you being down to earth."

Alfred snickered, rubbing the side where he was poked. Kiku had figured out he was ticklish in those areas a few weeks ago and used it to his advantage whenever he could. "I'm _super_ down to earth, babe. Just think: some other snooty guy would have taken you out to some fancy restaurant in a limo or something, but instead you're here having a way better time," he gestured towards the snacks on the floor beneath them, "possibly getting type two diabetes with all the sugar we're eating. I'd say that's a pretty down to earth way to spend your Saturday."

The witch listened with a small smile, setting his controller to the side. In times like this, when they were alone together, Kiku was actually quite affectionate. It was only when they were out - be it at the festival or on a date somewhere in town - that he shied away from physical affection. Not that Alfred minded; it made the moments when Kiku hugged him or held his hand much more special and made his heart race much more. So when the smaller boy rolled over to rest against Alfred's chest, snuggling closer against the fabric of his hoodie, he wasted no time in wrapping an arm around his waist to pull him closer. It wasn't anything heated, it wasn't anything that left him dizzy and breathless, but it was _definitely_ enough for him. More than enough. Kiku left him feeling complete.

"You know what would be pretty down to earth right now?" Kiku's voice was treading on sleepy territory.

Alfred could feel his heart practically melting. "Hm...a nap?"

"Uh-huh." A yawn. "You get me."

He pressed his lips against his ebony hair, giving a fond smile. His tranquility was contagious, and he felt himself slowly slip into sleep alongside Kiku.

* * *

"Al, I'm home." Matthew called out as he pushed through the front door, shouldering his equipment bag while holding his ice skates by the laces. His hair was tied back into a ponytail and his body ached from practice, but he was still looking forward to seeing Kiku again. Judging by the car parked near the curb, he must have already arrived - but the house was usually quiet. He half expected to hear his brother's voice floating down from upstairs, excited chatter contrasting with the serene voice that belonged to Kiku. Instead, the manor was silent, his own voice echoing throughout the halls.

He ascended the staircase, calling his name out again. Could they have gone out? Alfred's care was still parked in the driveway, so they must still be in the house. Unless they were in the garden; though Matthew doubted that with the chilly weather they were experiencing. He dropped off his bag and skates in his room before heading to Alfred's room, hesitant to knock. It was just as silent as the rest of the house, with no noise coming from the room. He really did not want to walk into something he wasn't supposed to see, but with the lack of noise coming from his brother's room, he doubted he would see anything along those lines. He knocked softly before peeking inside, voice just as soft. "Alfred?"

...Oh.

There were snacks on the ground next to the bed, where the two were currently tangled up on, sleeping soundly. The television screen was turned off, but they must have been gaming since the controllers lay on the bed near the pair. Out of all things, Matthew did not expect to see his brother and his boyfriend _napping_ on a date.

He couldn't help the chuckle that left his lips, but he covered his mouth to keep from waking the two. In an instant he had his phone out, careful not to make any noise as he tiptoed towards them. This was too cute of an opportunity _not_ to take a commemorative photo.

Two Snapchat filters later (he managed to get the dog filter to work perfectly), he heard the front door being opened, followed by his name being called. He slipped out of Alfred's room just as quietly as he had entered, shutting the door behind him before heading downstairs to greet his father.

Arthur was hanging his coat near the entrance of the door, the mail from today in his hand. "Matthew, there you are. How was practice?"

"Exhausting, but coach decided to let us go early since it was Saturday." He followed his father into the kitchen, making a bee-line for the fridge. There were a few sodas missing, he duly noted as he grabbed a bottle of water. "I came home to see if Al and Kiku wanted to hang out, but..."

"But..?" The blonde set the small stack of envelopes on the kitchen's island, raising an eyebrow in his direction. Matthew took a seat at the island, facing him. "Is he not home?"

He shook his head. "No, he is. They're upstairs. Napping."

 _"Napping."_

"Yup." He pulled his phone out to show him the evidence, to which Arthur scoffed, turning his attention back to the envelopes in his hands with a small smile. Matthew snickered, "What?"

"I haven't even met the boy and he's already sleeping with my son."


End file.
